


anything worth doing right

by lynne_monstr



Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Magic, Magical Theory, alec loves magnus and his magic and that's a fact, moving in
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-05
Updated: 2018-10-05
Packaged: 2019-07-25 09:56:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,589
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16195181
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lynne_monstr/pseuds/lynne_monstr
Summary: Most people get a key when they move in. Alec gets a magic ritual.“Is there a reason I need to be naked to get this key?”"You mean, besides the spectacular view?"Written for Flufftober Day 4: Key





	anything worth doing right

“Is there a reason I need to be naked to get this key?”

Alec worked the last of the tiny buttons on his shirt open, his jacket and socks already discarded on Magnus’ favorite bright blue chair.

It’s not that he was uncomfortable. Alec had a lot of feelings about being naked with his boyfriend, and uncomfortable only applied when they’d been at it for hours, Magnus’ hands all over his body, everywhere except where he needed it most, sweaty and needy and practically begging to be—

Alec cut off that line of thought before it could get too far. No way was he sitting through one of Magnus’ rituals with an inconvenient problem.

Magnus turned, hands on his hips. “You mean, besides the spectacular view?”

Silhouetted against the moonlight from the open windows, Magnus struck a broad and imposing figure where he stood amidst a sea of black candles, each of various thickness and heights. Without another word, he swept his hands in a wide circle, and each and every one flickered to life. The hundreds of tiny lights made Magnus look like he was underwater, an ethereal god in a sea of fire.

Alec’s mouth suddenly went dry.

His shirt quickly joined the pile of clothes on the chair. And if he flexed his shoulders just to see the way Magnus tracked his movements, it was only fair.

Except, as Magnus’ gold-rimmed eyes dipped down to his chest, the golden flames of each and every candle seemed to move with him. Which wasn’t possible, Alec knew intellectually.

At least, it probably wasn’t. There was a lot about magic he didn’t know, and dating a warlock had only driven home how much wasn’t in the Clave instructional guides.

Magnus grinned. “If you’re going to move in officially, we’re going to do it right.”

“That still doesn’t answer my question,” Alec shot back. Though it didn’t stop him from slowly unzipping his pants.

“Wards are fickle things. This isn’t like printing a new key at Home Depot. Or do you only want the magic to recognize you when you’re wearing that delicious thigh holster.” Magnus leveled a heated gaze that left no doubt how much he appreciated that particular piece of equipment.

Alec unbuckled it from his leg, watching the leer turn into a pout as it was removed. “I suppose you’re the expert.”

“Are you doubting my magical prowess, Alexander?”

“Me? Doubt the High Warlock?” Alec hooked his fingers over his pants and underwear, pulling them down in a single motion. “Of course not, Mr. Bane.”

.

The ritual for the wards didn’t involve any weird body painting or sex acts or anything lewd that one might expect when half of the participants were naked. Alec may have been slightly disappointed about that.

He let himself be maneuvered into position, standing opposite Magnus inside the thick circle of candles. Unlike himself, Magnus was fully clothed from the neck down in his usual tight shirt and vest. His hair seemed even taller than normal, as if it too was excited for the spellwork about to take place.

As they went over the instructions one last time, Alec suddenly felt pinned in place by hundreds of tiny prying eyes.

“Are the candles watching me?” He almost smacked himself in the forehead at the dumb question, but instead of laughing, Magnus suddenly looked uncomfortable.

“No.” Magnus fiddled with the large ring on his left hand. “And yes, in a sense.” He ran a finger through the flame of a tall slim candle that came up to his waist. As he looked back at Alec, the golden flame seemed to mirror itself in the gold of his eyes.

“The candles are an extension of my magic.”

Magnus took a breath, like he was debating whether to continue. “The line between a warlock and their magic is always shifting. Magic is a tool. But like all tools, when you use it long enough it becomes yours. And likewise, it claims a part of you in return.”

Alec swallowed. “So are you using it or…” his voice trailed off.

“Or is it using me?” Magnus finished. Surprisingly, he broke into a wide grin at that, practically bouncing on the balls of his feet as he continued. “And now you’ve hit on one of the very fundamental questions of magic. Debated for millennia, and practically the only thing us warlocks can agree on is that no one can agree on it. Think of it as the warlock version of the Grand Unified Theory. Not a perfect metaphor, granted, but…” Magnus dismissed the thought with a wave of his hand.

“So you’re a physicist now too?”

“Oh Alexander, I’ve been so many things. Which I know you know because,” his eyes danced in time with the flames as he leaned in close to whisper, “you’re not the only one who’s read my Clave file. And between me and you, it’s missing the best bits. But that’s a story for another time.”

His expression turned serious. “I’ll understand if you don’t want to do the ritual. It’s a lot to take in.”

Alec wanted nothing more than to wipe the unsure look off Magnus’ face but he took the time to consider the question. He respected Magnus’ knowledge too much to take this lightly when it was clearly important to him.

“So the candles, they are watching me?”

“I’m watching you.” Magnus said, which didn’t really answer the question.

Or maybe it did. Whether the magic had an agenda of its own didn’t matter, he decided. It was part of Magnus, and It was Magnus’ hand that guided it, and that was enough.

“Last chance to back out,” Magnus offered one more time.

He should probably be afraid. The growing magic in the room prickled from every side, like it wanted to dissolve deep into his bones and know him from the inside out. Any other Shadowhunter would flee, terrified at the hooks of warlock magic eager to sink beneath his skin.

But Alec knew that magic, loved that magic. There was no part of Magnus that Alec wouldn’t eagerly take inside himself.

“Let’s do this.”

Magnus looked at him with surprise etched across his face before it just as quickly melted into a reassuring smile. “Okay,” he said.

With a last long breath, he began to chant.

The unfamiliar syllables were a rough staccato, a language Alec had never heard despite studying several languages of demonic origin in his youth. There was no sound or movement in the room aside from Magnus’ strong voice, which never faltered, even as the minutes lengthened and dragged on. There was just the darkness, the eerily still flames, and two of them.

Despite the harshness of the words, Alec felt himself relax. He was surprised to realize that despite being completely naked he felt perfectly warm.

He let the magic wash over him.

.

Minutes or hours later, the room lapsed into silence. The air hung heavy with magic and promise, suspended like a wire pulled too taught.

Magnus clapped his hands once, and all the candles fell dark. The lights in the room came on, and Alec blinked against the sudden brightness. The world resumed its normal pace.

“And it’s done. You’re officially keyed in.” With a twist of his wrist, Magnus summoned one of his intricate silk robes. It was a deep navy blue, almost black. “Welcome home.”

The silk felt cool against his heated skin as Alec put it on. If all robes felt like this, he could understand why Magnus wore them so much. He didn’t miss the appreciative glance as he tied it shut, leaving the top half gaping open where the fabric crossed over his chest.

“That’s it?” Alec looked down at his hands, unsure what he expected to find. They looked the same as they always did. Large and calloused and a little rough. “I don’t feel any different.”

“You would if you were a warlock. But yes, the wards recognize you the same as they do me. I couldn’t keep you out if I wanted to,” Magnus teased, stepping closer to trail a finger down his exposed chest.

Alec curled his fingers over Magnus’ wrist, tugging his hand up to brush his lips against each finger.

A happy sigh escaped Magnus before he hummed, eyes dancing with mirth. “Not that I would ever want to keep you from coming. Quite the opposite.”

Alec barked out a laugh. “That was awful.”

“You love it.”

“I love you.” The words came as easy and breathing and it was hard to believe there was ever a time when he agonized over whether he should say them. Life before Magnus already seemed so distant, a dark, lonely time he never had to go back to.

Alec was still warm from the ritual, and Magnus was warm in his arms. He could stay like this forever, wrapped up in quiet contentment.

“This place will always offer you sanctuary,” Magnus said, breaking Alec from his thoughts.

Alec paused, reaching with his free hand to cup Magnus’ cheek, guiding his face upwards. The glamour on his eyes was still down from the ritual, and it was a sight that never got any less beautiful for all the times he’d been allowed to see it

“It always has,” Alec answered.

Magnus’ face lit up like the sun.

And as it turned out, Alec didn’t have much time to enjoy the blue silk robe, since it very shortly ended up on the floor.

**Author's Note:**

> Feel free to find me on tumblr!  
> lynne-monstr.tumblr.com


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